To promote the role of doulas during birth and the postpartum period, serve as a referral source for nationally trained doulas, uphold professional standards of doula practice and provide education and peer support to our members.

In the Spring of 2003, after many months of planning, a small, dedicated group of doulas, childbirth educators and maternity care providers established the Doula Association of the Mountain Area (DAMA). Our founders envisioned an organization that would promote the role of professional doulas and ensure the availability of trained birth companions to all pregnant women in our area. The need for such an organization became apparent following the success of the volunteer doula program at the Buncombe County Health Center (BCHC). Childbirth educator and doula trainer, Cheryl Orengo, created the BCHC program in the early 1990’s to improve birth outcomes and the birth experience of prenatal clients of the Health Center. Over time, the program raised community awareness about the benefits of having a doula and significantly increased the number of trained doulas in WNC. The result was a greater demand for doulas and a growing need for a support network for trained doulas seeking professional certification. DAMA was developed to meet both of those needs. DAMA is community based and led by certified doulas. Membership in the association is available to trained or certified doulas. Meetings are held monthly and officers are elected annually. Our hospital liaison member is both a doula and a labor and delivery nurse at Mission Hospital. In addition to acting as a referral service for doulas, DAMA sponsors several half-day training programs each year on topics of relevance to doulas and other maternity care/childbirth professionals. These programs are open to the public. We are also involved in a variety of outreach activities and events designed to raise community awareness about doulas.